2024 C. Emlen Urban Award Winners

Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County Announces the 2024 Recipients of their Annual C. Emlen Urban Awards

The C. Emlen Urban Awards recognize people and projects for their efforts in preserving significant historic sites in Lancaster County.

Founded in 1966 to “stem the rapid destruction of historic properties in Lancaster County,” the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County’s mission is to educate and advocate for the preservation of significant Lancaster County historic sites and architecture. The Trust has been directly involved with preserving more than three dozen important Lancaster County landmarks and has provided advice, assistance, and guidance in the protection of others.

The Urban Awards series was named after Lancaster’s preeminent architect – C. Emlen Urban (1863-1939). The awards are the Trust’s way of saying ‘thank you’ to those in the area who have helped to keep the architect’s vision alive and to preserve Lancaster’s unique history as seen through the County’s architecture.

We honored the 2024 C. Emlen Urban award recipients on Thursday, June 20, 2024 at the Lancaster Country Club. It was a fabulous event and was hosted by Gregg Scott, who was also was the Keynote Speaker for the evening. See photos below from the awards dinner.

The 2024 recipients of the C. Emlen Urban Awards are, as follows:

ADAPTIVE REUSE AWARDPresented for projects that reuse a historic structure, site, or portion of a building for purposes other than it was originally built.

  • Quarry View Building Group Headquarters, 2603 Lincoln Highway, Ronks, PA (Ben King, Owner)

  • The Sprecher Hardware Building, 24 East Main Street, Ephrata, PA (Joy Ashley, Executive Director of Mainspring of Ephrata

COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION AWARD – Presented for projects that enhance a historic district or community that includes historic buildings and improves the quality of life in the neighborhood.

  • Historic Poole Forge, 1940 Main Street, Narvon, Pa (Dr. Dawn Ekdahl, Executive Director)

  • REO Manheim Marketplace, 51 North Main Street, Manheim, PA (Bernard & Suzanne Reiley, Owners)

 

HAUBERT/HEISEY AWARD – Presented to an individual who has supported the Historic Preservation Trust in an exemplary manner.

  • Elaine Bowman, Former HPTLC Secretary and Board Member, for spearheading the Lancaster County Barn Tour and bringing together the HPTLC and the Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley.

 

LEADERSHIP AWARDPresented to an individual or group who recognizes the value of saving historical artifacts and takes the initiative to ensure their preservation.

  • S. Dale High, Chair Emeritus of the High Companies and Chair of The High Foundation, for his leadership skills, his many restoration and preservation efforts in Lancaster County, as well as his overall goodwill in the community.

 

MASTER CRAFTSMAN AWARDPresented for meritorious efforts to save a historic structure through master level building skills and knowledge.

  • Longview Structures, LLC for the Wright’s Ferry Mansion’s new shake roof, located at 38 S. 2nd Street, Columbia, PA.

NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION AWARDPresented for projects that comply with local, state, or national standards for preservation, rehabilitation or restoration of a historic structure and which contributes to the character of the neighborhood and has a substantially positive impact on the surrounding neighborhood and community.

  • 315 Locust Street Project, 305-315 Locust Street, Columbia, PA
    (Don Murphy, President, Cimarron Investments, LLC)

 

PRESERVATION AWARD – Presented for projects that comply with local, state, or national standards for preservation, rehabilitation, or restoration of a historic site or structure.

  • Garden Spot Village – Farmhouse Office Renovations, 433 S. Kinzer Ave, New Holland, PA (Steve Muller, COO; Warfel Construction Company; and Cornerstone Design-Architects)

  • 154 Wilson Drive, Lancaster, PA (Allen and Wanda Miller, Owners)

 

PRESERVATION PUBLICATION AWARD – Presented to authors, designers, and photographers that helped to educate the general public regarding the importance of historic preservation in Lancaster County through publications.

  • “Urban Legend: The Life and Legacy of C. Emlen Urban” book, (Gregory Scott, Author; Fig Industries, Design and Production; and Matthew Tennison of Tennison Photography, for the book’s photography.)

  • “The Mills of Lancaster County” book (Donald Kautz, Author)

 

SMEDLEY AWARD – Presented to a journalist or educator who has shown extraordinary support for historic preservation in Lancaster County.

  • Jean-Paul Benowitz, Professor and Director of Prestigious Scholarships and Public Heritage Studies at Elizabethtown College.

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